Page 36 of Phoenix Falling
“Can you answer it?”
I grabbed food from the fridge and cabinets while I considered my answer. When there was nothing left to gather, I moved to the counter and planted my hands on it, facing her. “You know we have very long lives.”
“Yes.”
“And that there are few females born to the Archai.”
“Lyris did explain that.”
I nodded my head, hesitated. “Did you know I’m almost two millennia old?”
Her gasp said no. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.”And yes, that makes me feel like a lecher when I look at you and want you the way that I do.
Imogen propped an elbow on the counter and leaned her chin on her hand. “What’s it like to be so old?”
I got busy preparing the chicken. “You mean practically decrepit?”
Her smile could light up the night. “You don’t look decrepit to me.”
The admiring way she was eyeing me literally had me puffing out my chest. If I wasn’t so proud of attracting her attention, I’d be laughing at myself hard right about now. “And you’re practically a babe in comparison.”
“Trust me, Demetri, I’m not a baby, no matter how young I am compared to you.”
I had a hard time imagining that. As I chopped and sliced, I considered my next words. “Knowing how many years I’ve been on this earth, how many years our males can live, can you imagine being alive that long and knowing that you likely will never have a mate?”
“But…” Imogen tipped her head up to meet my eyes, and I could read her curiosity mixed with confusion. “You guys date, don’t you? You don’t…um…go 2000 years without…”
Her blush was so damn sexy. “Without sex?”
“Yes.”
“No, not typically. We do date, or some of us do. We have relationships, some of them long-lasting. But it isn’t the same as the soul-deep connection of a matebond.”
Imogen dropped her gaze to her hands, tangled together on the counter. “Have you ever had a mate?”
I do now.
And just like that, the truth clicked into place. One part of my mind was screaming at me to answer her, to not just stand there, staring. The rest of me was mute, stunned into silence by the magnitude of the realization. Because I’d known Imogen was special, but somehow I hadn’t realized she was that special. Maybe it was simply the passing of the years, the slow realization that a relationship much like humans had, without the bonding of souls, was all I would ever attain, but I hadn’t truly recognized the change until this moment.
“Demetri? Demetri, what is it?”
I shook myself back to reality. “I’m sorry.”
“I didn’t mean to ask a difficult question.”
“It’s…not difficult.” More like a lightbulb had been turned on inside me, blazing behind my eyes, dazzling me with its intense glory. I simply wasn’t sure how to answer her.
When I continued to hesitate—or more likely, stare—Imogen cleared her throat. Stood. “Maybe I’d better…”
“No.” I reached out for her. “No, don’t go. Wait just a moment.” I hastily scrubbed my hands, then abandoned the food to round the counter, clasp her hand, and lead her to the couch. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to check out. I just…something struck me, and…”
Imogen sat next to me when I tugged her down. “What struck you?”
I hesitated once more, afraid I’d scare her. Afraid I’d say the wrong thing. Lyris’s words at the Warrior’s Council meeting came back to me.
“Please tell me, Demetri.”
